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Am I missing some secret to teaching?
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Post by
TheMediator
I was up really late last night so when I came into class to take a test today I wasn't really on my game, but apparently the test was open notes but no calculator. I start going through the test without any notes because I know all the stuff pretty well, but the actual calculations trip me up because I keep making careless mistakes, like 94+(100-94)/2 = 96 and such, and I'm thinking to myself "Why the hell am I having to do this crap that a calculator can do when I know the material?". I had enough time since I knew how to actually do each problem that I ran through the test like 4 times and so I was able to catch my mistakes and likely made a 100, but I still felt that it was stupid not letting the class use a calculator.
So, am I missing something? Does making you do basic math on tests in a college class instead of letting you use a calculator actually gauge your learning better? Why let people use open notes when you are trying to test them on whether they learned the notes, and not let people use a calculator, when a calculator is sort of assumed to be used in most real world scenarios? In my eyes, the professor is just an (unintelligent) grouchy old geezer who is jealous that our generation has access to calculators, and instead of doing his job is trying to somehow make us regret the technological innovations that have sprung up.
Post by
Interest
What level of math are you taking, out of curiosity?
(Damn spelling fail)
Post by
TheMediator
What level of math are you taking, out of curiosity?
(Damn spelling fail)
Its just business statistics. Its really basic math, but that's not really the point, the point is that it seems pointless to be testing us on our basic algebra abilities instead of our ability to understand the problems (which, for those who have notes, can basically copy from their notes). It would be like having a grammar class where you're asked to write a sentence, but the sentence is given to you and then you're graded on your quality of hand writing - while being able to have legible hand writing is important, you aren't supposed to be taking the class for hand writing improvement, you're taking it to learn grammar.
Post by
Mustangman
I'm currently working on my Masters and I can tell you now that everthing you learn in life is a stepping stone for the next level. If you don't understand the material now, then when you reach higher levels your just not going to get it.
I can see the point of no calculator--you need to understand what calculations trump the others first to solve the problem. Sure the calculator is easier, but if you just mindlessly punch in numbers what are you going to do on the day the calculator isn't there?
Post by
124027
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
TheMediator
I can do it by hand, but the thing is that should already be proven by the fact that I'm in the class that I can. Now, I don't object to doing certain things by hand, but actually doing low level algebra like that is just tedious when you have to do it a number of times especially when you're tired. Also, normally when you have to work by hand, leaving it in a calculator solvable low-level algebra form is acceptable, but since its multiple choice you have to reduce it down. Multiple choice and no calculator just don't go together, especially when you're forced to make approximations for certain things. It just didn't make sense to me to test someone's patience instead of their knowledge of the material.
On a side note, I was helping a friend prepare for a calculus exam, and I found it so strange that u-substitution wasn't taught in calc I. The professor had students use a guess and check method for integration that I thought was incredibly retarded. I showed my friend the u-substitution method, had him practice it like 7-8 times, and then when he took his test over "anti-derivatives" (why do they not just call it integration?) he destroyed it. There seem to be a lot of parts of the educational system that are just inefficient and nonsensical and done the way they are because professors don't want to change their methods or they just don't care.
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124027
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393249
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182246
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Post by
MischievousLoki
The words "Show your work" are burned into my retinas.
Post by
42080
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260787
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562138
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Post by
MischievousLoki
This may sound like a gross exaggeration and by no means it is not an insult to the OP but I've gone to a fast food restaurant before and my tab was $6.45 (that's not the real number, i don't remember, but play along for example's sake) so I handed them a ten dollar bill and reached into my pocket for .45 cents worth of change. The employee looked at me horrified because their computer was down and did not know how to compute my change.
I'm sure that kid takes math-centric courses in college and gets good grades but as soon as you take his calculator away he's helpless.
Oh wait, I mean he's an idiot. The world is full of idiots. We let them handle our change because if they screw up, at worst we're losing less than a dollar.
I've never met someone who could understand complex formulas and not understand how to work them out by hand when necessary.
Post by
562138
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Post by
MischievousLoki
I've seen kids in pre-cal and calculus classes rely on their graphics calculators to do everything for them and they don't fully understand the concept themselves. They just know how to plug in x & y.
That's pretty damn sad, I tell you what.
Post by
MyTie
According to Laihendi, it is absolutely impossible to teach anybody anything unless you have at LEAST a Masters degree, and then you are only able to teach in the subject you have a degree in.
Post by
Mustangman
According to Laihendi, it is absolutely impossible to teach anybody anything unless you have at LEAST a Masters degree, and then you are only able to teach in the subject you have a degree in.
This is a very ignorant remark. How do you think you Dad teaches you how to fish or work on the car, what about a friend teaching you a good game, your girlfriend teaching you how not to be a jacka$$, or your grandparents teaching you some lessons learned in life? I know none of the above had Masters degrees in my life and I learned loads off them all.
In order to be a good teacher, you have to be good at articulating what you want your subject to learn
and
a good roll model for others to emulate. That's the key to being a good teacher.
Post by
Orranis
According to Laihendi, it is absolutely impossible to teach anybody anything unless you have at LEAST a Masters degree, and then you are only able to teach in the subject you have a degree in.
This is a very ignorant remark. How do you think you Dad teaches you how to fish or work on the car, what about a friend teaching you a good game, your girlfriend teaching you how not to be a jacka$$, or your grandparents teaching you some lessons learned in life? I know none of the above had Masters degrees in my life and I learned loads off them all.
In order to be a good teacher, you have to be good at articulating what you want your subject to learn
and
a good roll model for others to emulate. That's the key to being a good teacher.
Furthermore, there is a huge psychological difference between knowing and teaching. I "understand" the idea of singularities and time being relative, but I find it extremely hard to put into words that would make any logical sense to someone who doesn't.
Though I dislike the idea that getting a scroll of signed paper makes you any less smart than not getting one, you have to know the material that other degrees would require as well as whatever degree you have in say, physics. Also, teaching is a lot more then just helping the kids figure out how to put two and two together, read Teacher Man, it'll show you how much of a power struggle and such it is. The classroom is incredibly political.
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